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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22857694">Spoilers</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ginipig/pseuds/Ginipig'>Ginipig</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cullistair One-Shots [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, Kisses, M/M, Secret Relationship, Tumblr Prompt, accidental reveal</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 18:53:50</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,609</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22857694</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ginipig/pseuds/Ginipig</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Cullen and Alistair's relationship has successfully remained a secret - until now.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Alistair/Cullen Rutherford, cullistair - Relationship</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Cullistair One-Shots [19]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1604995</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Cullistair Kisses</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. This Is How It Could Have Happened</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Anonymous Tumblr prompt:<br/>"Inquisition peeps doesn't know that Cullen's in a relationship, let alone that the love of his life is Alistair (because Cullen's so damn private about anything relating to himself). How do they find out and react?"</p><p>Well, anon, I had a solid idea, which revolved around the fact that Cullen would never <em>willingly</em> tell everyone about his relationship.</p><p>And then I was struck by a completely different idea, which also fit the criteria of Cullen only revealing information about his private life unwillingly, but in a totally opposite way.</p><p>So: here are two ways it could have gone down.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Cullen stood at the war table, presenting an idea to the Inquisitor and the rest of the Inner Circle — most of whom looked like they’d rather be anywhere else — when raised voices carried down the hallway outside.</p><p>Before anyone could formulate more than a confused look towards their neighbor, the doors swung open hard enough to slam against the walls, revealing a slightly manic-looking, blood-drenched Alistair.</p><p>Cullen dropped the stack of papers he held as Alistair stumbled the last few steps into the room, Hawke jogging a few paces behind.</p><p>“Alistair.” Hawke grabbed his arm in an uncharacteristic attempt to … not interrupt? “Maybe you should —”</p><p>Alistair jerked his arm free, the motion causing him to sway. Everyone took a step in his direction, but stopped when he threw up both hands. Cullen’s knuckles turned white as he gripped the table to steady himself.</p><p>“S’okay,” Alistair panted. “Darkspawn … not mine. … S’just … alotta stairs …” He took a couple more breaths before spitting out, “Explosives. Lots. Now.”</p><p>Cullen fought down nausea, his imagination conjuring scenario after scenario that could have left Alistair so panicked and gore-covered.</p><p>“What happened?” Trevelyan, thankfully, voiced the question Cullen’s brain hadn’t arrived at yet.</p><p>Alistair looked to Leliana, of all people. “Broodmothers … close …”</p><p>He tipped forward, leaning on the table for support.</p><p>“Okay, some of it’s mine,” he admitted, his face an alarming color of grey under the blood.</p><p>Cullen vaulted himself over the war table before anyone else had a chance to move, which was how he caught Alistair the moment he collapsed.</p><p>Cullen sank to the floor with Alistair in his arms.</p><p>“Cull’n?” Alistair slurred, head lolling against Cullen’s shoulder. “I lied … allott of iss mine.”</p><p>“Fetch a healer!” Cullen shouted. Then he softened his voice, turning Alistair’s face toward him. “I told you to be careful.”</p><p>“Was careful …broodmothers …” Alistair’s eyes took a moment to focus on Cullen’s face, and then he weakly attempted to pull away. “Don’touch me! S’not all mine … th’Taint …”</p><p>“It’s all right,” Cullen said, caressing Alistair’s cheek with a thumb. “I’m wearing gloves.”</p><p>“No, not good'n'uff,” Alistair whimpered. “Pumme down, please …”</p><p>“I will do no such thing until I know you are safe,” Cullen said sternly. He clutched Alistair’s head and shoulders to his chest and rocked him gently. “I’m right here, my love.”</p><p>The Inner Circle parted — all three mages knelt at Alistair’s other side while the Inquisitor, Leliana, and Hawke spoke together urgently. The rest seemed to hover awkwardly, and Cullen was conscious of a few murmurs, but otherwise, he paid them no mind.</p><p>Solas hummed. “In spite of the blood loss, these wounds are superficial.”</p><p>“So fix them!” Cullen snapped.</p><p>“Shh.” Alistair brought up a hand to clumsily pat Cullen’s arm as Solas’s magic began to glow. “Don’pisoff th’mage who’s’ealing me …”</p><p>Dorian snorted. “Quite right. I must say, Alistair, you do know how to make an entrance. The amount of blood here is impressive, even for you.”</p><p>“S’not all mine.” Solas’s yellow healing magic seemed to be working, since Alistair’s eyes cleared enough to glare at Dorian. Then they widened, and he began to struggle against Cullen, growing more coherent by the second. “Broodmothers! There’s a whole nest nearby, and I have to —”</p><p>“It’s being taken care of.” Leliana knelt at Cullen’s side and handed Alistair a damp cloth, which he used to wipe his face. “Hawke explained everything, and we’re gathering what’s needed. So hush and sit still.”</p><p>Solas’s magic faded, and Alistair pushed himself into a sitting position. Cullen allowed it but refused to release him fully, grasping one hand and keeping an arm around Alistair’s shoulders, even after he was convinced Alistair could support himself.</p><p>“Uh, thanks,” Alistair muttered, glancing at Solas. “I know we don’t agree on, well, anything, but —”</p><p>“It was no trouble, Warden,” said Solas. “Besides, I am not so terribly uncouth as to let you die after such a scene.”</p><p>Alistair chuckled. “Thank the Maker for that.” Then he turned to Cullen and squeezed their joined hands. “I’m okay now. Promise.”</p><p>Cullen rested their foreheads together. “Do not worry me like that again.”</p><p>Alistair smirked. “Yes, ser.”</p><p>He leaned wearily into Cullen, who kissed his now-clean forehead and wrapped him tightly in his arms. Eyes closed, Cullen sent a grateful prayer to the Maker for Alistair’s safety.</p><p>After a few moments, a deep cough pulled them both from their reverie.</p><p>Cullen looked up to find the entire Inner Circle gaping at them with expressions of varying levels of shock, amusement, and, in at least one case, betrayal.</p><p>His face heated so quickly he thought it might melt.</p><p>“So.” Varric, of course, spoke first, dramatically drawing out the word. “Are we going to address the druffalo in the room here?”</p><p>“I don’t see a druffalo,” said Cole.</p><p>Sera squealed in what seemed like barely contained excitement and sing-songed, “Cully and Allie sittin’ in a tree. F-U-C- —”</p><p>Blackwall coughed loudly and elbowed her. “Sera.”</p><p>Then the room erupted.</p><p>“How dare you both keep something like this from me!” Dorian exclaimed.</p><p>“There were obviously sparks,” said Varric, “but I didn’t think either of you had actually made a move yet.”</p><p>Josephine squealed, Blackwall held Sera back, Solas smirked at the floor, Cassandra watched them with a sort of moony look that scared Cullen more than any scowl she’d aimed at him, the Inquisitor grinned and so did Vivienne, and —</p><p>“Enough!” Alistair shouted with an authority Cullen had never heard before.</p><p>Neither had anyone else, apparently, because the entire room fell silent.</p><p>Except one. “… and I liked the way Cullen jumped over the table.” Cole, mid-sentence, seemed to shout into the stillness.</p><p>Cullen dropped his gaze but couldn’t help a smirk.</p><p>“Thank you, Cole,” said Alistair. “So did I. Now …” He pushed himself clumsily to his feet, and Cullen followed, ready to catch him if he fell, but Alistair was fully healed now. “You people are the nosiest group of gossipmongers I’ve met this side of the Blight. Do you blame us for not saying anything? Some people want to keep their private affairs private, and —”</p><p>Cullen grabbed Alistair by the arm, spun him around, and pulled him into a kiss. One he hoped could convey even a fraction of the love currently filling his chest to bursting.</p><p>The Inner Circle whooped and cheered, but Cullen only cared about one person — the man he loved, whom he could have lost today, who was now defending Cullen’s preference for privacy when he’d begged Cullen to publicly acknowledge their relationship every step of the way.</p><p>From the way Alistair melted into him, Cullen assumed he understood.</p><p>When they finally separated, Alistair murmured, “I know you didn’t want this, and I’m sorry.”</p><p>“I’m not.” Cullen took Alistair’s face in his hands. “I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone, and as long as you know that, I don’t care who else does.”</p><p>A chorus of “aww”s at varying levels of sincerity rang out.</p><p>Grinning, his eyes not leaving Cullen’s for a moment, Alistair snapped, “Don’t you people have work to do?”</p><p>The Inquisitor agreed and ushered everyone out of the room, though everyone insisted on congratulating them on their way out (and in Dorian’s case, demanded details at their next chess match).</p><p>Leliana was the last to leave. She hugged them together and kissed Alistair on the cheek. “You have no room to talk about gossip, old friend.”</p><p>Alistair, still blessing Cullen with a smile that would light up his every lonely night to come, said, “And I’ll give you all the details later if you leave us alone right now.”</p><p>And she did.</p><p>“I have to go,” Alistair whispered.</p><p>“I know.”</p><p>Duty called.</p><p>Duty always called. For both of them.</p><p>Alistair rested their foreheads together. “But I love you <em>so much</em>.”</p><p>“I love you, too.” Cullen kissed him, knowing this was goodbye for now.</p><p>Alistair sighed into the kiss before pulling away, walking backward to the door. “I’ll let you know when we’re on our way back.”</p><p>“You’d better.”</p><p>Alistair reached the door, blindly searching for the handle behind his back. “You, in full armor, launching yourself over the table to catch me …” His grin faded into something softer, more ethereal. “I love you. Truly.”</p><p>His voice shook on the last word, which seemed to shake the foundation of his smile, while simultaneously igniting and bolstering Cullen’s own.</p><p>“You said that already,” Cullen said crossing to Alistair and the door he had yet to open.</p><p>Alistair shook his head as Cullen approached, and his eyes shone with unshed tears. “Never enough.”</p><p>“Never,” Cullen agreed, taking Alistair’s face in his hands and kissing him again.</p><p>Alistair melted against the door and Cullen, overcome by this unexpected tenderness, deepened the kiss, caressing and cradling him like the precious, beautiful, perfect gift he was.</p><p>A good and honorable man, a heroic Warden of the Fifth Blight and Adamant Fortress, who loved him in spite of all his (numerous and myriad) flaws.</p><p>At that moment, Cullen would have shouted his love from the battlements if it didn’t necessitate breaking their kiss.</p><p>When the kiss finally ended, only their mouths parted.</p><p>“You have the coin?” Cullen asked, lips brushing Alistair’s as he spoke.</p><p>“Always,” Alistair whispered. “A handsome soldier told me it was lucky.”</p><p>Cullen knew it would be no use, but he couldn’t help but add, “Be safe.”</p><p>“I will.” Alistair was rarely serious, but there was no hint of humor in his voice or expression. “I promise.”</p><p>Then he reached behind his back and opened the door … revealing Dorian and Cassandra on the other side.</p><p>Alistair pushed between them. “Sorry, can’t talk, darkspawn to kill and all that.”</p><p>But the excuses were unnecessary; he wasn’t who they’d been waiting for.</p><p>“You’ve been holding back on us, Commander,” said Dorian.</p><p>“How could you keep this from me?” Cassandra demanded. Though her cheeks pinked, she nevertheless wore a deeper than usual scowl. “When I asked about your good mood, you told me you were merely feeling better physically. <em>Lies</em>.”</p><p>Behind them, Alistair waved, mouthing <em>Sorry</em> and <em>I love you</em> before turning and practically sprinting away.</p><p>Cullen let out a resigned sighed. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he asked, “What do you want to know?”</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Or It Might Have Happened Like This</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“If that’s the plan,” Alistair said to the gathered Inner Circle, “then I should head out now.”</p><p>The Inquisitor nodded. “We’ll send a battalion after you as soon as we can. Cullen?”</p><p>Cullen was writing furiously on a piece of parchment on the war table, likely notes to his lieutenants and the captain of the battalion.</p><p>Leliana flashed a smirk at Alistair. “That would be a yes.”</p><p>As if Alistair didn’t know that, having been in a relationship with the man for the past several months.</p><p>But no one knew that, at Cullen’s insistence.</p><p>He’d hoped to be able to say a real goodbye to Cullen in private, but Cullen wasn’t paying enough attention to know that, much less to be subtle about an excuse to leave after him.</p><p>Alistair flashed a grin. “I guess I’ll see you in a week, then,” he said awkwardly into the silence. He looked around at everyone but spoke to only one person.</p><p>Murmurs of “See you,” “Good luck,” and “Maker watch over you” traveled to him across the war table. He waited an extra second for a response from Cullen but was disappointed.</p><p>So he turned to leave.</p><p>The table broke into small quiet conversations, and Alistair was at the door when Cullen finally spoke.</p><p>“Love you. Be safe.”</p><p>The room fell deadly silent. Alistair turned around slowly.</p><p>Everyone stared at either him or Cullen, or back and forth between them both.</p><p>Cullen hadn’t raised his gaze from the parchment in front of him, clearly unaware of what he’d said.</p><p>Alistair stood speechless, mind racing. Cullen was such a private person. Could he somehow spin this into a joke to let Cullen save face in front of their friends?</p><p>Cullen, however, finally seemed to notice the glaring silence and looked up. His gaze moved questioningly around the room, where their friends had started to react to his comment.</p><p>While most still stared wide-eyed, several — the Inquisitor, Leliana, Varric, Sera, Bull, Blackwall, Vivienne — smiled across a spectrum ranging from smirks to grins. A couple — Josephine and, surprisingly, Cassandra — wore sort of moony, dreamy expressions like they were watching some grand romance unfold. Solas looked unperturbed but mildly interested, while Dorian, who loved gossip almost as much as Alistair did, seemed (understandably) betrayed.</p><p>“Did he mean to say that out loud?” Cole said softly. “I didn’t even know they were together. Why wouldn’t they tell us? Is this the first time he’s said it?”</p><p>As Cole spoke, Cullen’s face rapidly shifted from its normal color to a sickly grey before flushing pink and then quickly to a red that rivaled the fur on his mantle.</p><p>And then Cullen carefully gathered his parchment, drew himself up, and met Alistair’s gaze. “Perhaps you didn’t hear me. I said I love you. Be safe.”</p><p>Alistair’s vision blurred. Cullen was a proud, private man. The courage to declare his love in such a way must have cost him dearly — and would continue to do so, since their friends were unlikely to let this event go anytime soon.</p><p>So Alistair flashed his largest, most genuine grin. “I did hear you, but I always like to hear it again. I love you, too. See you in a week.”</p><p>And with that, he turned to leave.</p><p>But as before, he was stopped by Cullen’s voice. “Excuse me for a moment, Inquisitor. I’d like to see Alistair off.”</p><p>“I bet you would,” Varric muttered, igniting the room’s suffocating tension into laughter.</p><p>Alistair stood, frozen and speechless once again, as Cullen rounded the war table. His heart fluttered at the determination on Cullen’s face, and he might have let out a little whimper when Cullen finally took his face in his hands and gently — oh, so gently, like he was something truly precious — kissed him on the lips.</p><p>Then the room erupted into immature whoops and “Aw”s.</p><p>Alistair chuckled into the kiss. “Oops,” he said, resting their heads together.</p><p>“Oops,” Cullen repeated softly, though his enormous, radiant smile seemed to indicate otherwise. “Come back to me safe?” His thumbs caressed both of Alistair’s cheeks.</p><p>“Always.” Alistair’s face had started to ache from smiling. “I love you.”</p><p>“And I, you.” Cullen glanced aside toward the gathered spectators and rolled his eyes. “Return soon. I’m not sure how much of this I can take.”</p><p>“I’ll let the darkspawn know. They’re usually understanding when I tell them I have plans.”</p><p>Cullen laughed and kissed him again, this time with a depth and passion that surprised Alistair, considering their audience, but perhaps that was the point.</p><p>If this was their public debut, they might as well make it a good one.</p><p>This time, when Cullen pulled away, he murmured, “Quick, save yourself,” and turned back to face the Inquisition’s Inner Circle.</p><p>As Alistair left, he heard Cullen make his stand.</p><p>“Don’t you all have work to do?” Cullen demanded in his most commanderly voice.</p><p>It didn’t seem to have an effect.</p><p>“Oh, I think we can spend a few minutes on this,” said Dorian to loud agreement.</p><p>In spite of Cullen’s predicament, Alistair couldn’t help but grin. Darkspawn be damned. He’d do whatever it took to return as soon as possible.</p><p>If Cullen loved him enough to so easily let his feelings slip, Alistair loved Cullen enough not to let him stand alone against the worst teasing their friends could throw at them.</p><p>Well. Not for more than a week, anyway.</p>
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